The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-06-19
OVERHEARD IN THE CHANNEL.
Engineer Forester's Remarkable Es-
cape from Drowning.
From tie New Orleans Times Democrat.


The following narrative, though remarka-
bic, is all fact. 1t was related to me by Mr..
Forester himself while | was or board the
ship with him, and was vouched for in all
| particulars by Capt. Roberts. All names
| given are the true names of those interested,
| and have not attempted to enbelllsh the
narrative, but give it in Mr.. Forester'S own
! words:
''As you are aware ! have been chief en-
gineer of the steamship Kingdom for several
| years, and ] really think that good luck will
follow me as long as / remain by her. Wei,
we left the port of Dunliirk, on the coast OF
| France, on the afternoon of Aug. II, 1886,
| bound for Liverpool, England, the home OF
my wife and children. You can imagine
my anxiety to reach those so dear to me
much better than / can describe it, No one
| but those who follow the sea can realize
| fully the feelings of him who is homeward
| bound after long absence. We had been
on our way about thirty-SiX hours. IL was
my watch in the engine room. stood
| beside the great engines and watched their
pulSation and knew that every stroke made
| the great screw revolve and sent us nearer
nearer to our loved ones All was going
| well in the engine room, and L concluded L
would take a breath of fresh air. Mounting
| the ladder | climbed to the engine room
| door on the main deck. 1t was o'clock at
night. The stars shone out bright and
| beautiful magnificent summer night at
sea. The Captain and his wife (who had
| joined him at Dunkirk) were on the ships
| bridge, the Captain keeping sharp lookout
| for Dungeness Light, on the English coast.
| The ships log registered 10 1-2 knots per
hour, and that light should have been IN
| sight. Capt Roberts, seeing me, remarked
that the ship was not doing as well as ne
expected, as the light should now be II
| sight. / was satisfied that the light would
soon show up, and made myself comfortable
on the port rail amidships to lunch on the
| coffee and crackers that the steward served
me with at this hour. | drank the coffee
and sat the cup on the rail, and at that
moment saw a flash almost dead ahead
ITO make sure that it was Dungeness
| Light, / stood upon the rail, and placing
my hand over my head and taking hold of
| the steering rod, leaned over the side as far
| as could As | did SO, the movement OF
| the rod brought my hand in contact with
the block in the shieve Fearing my hand
would get caught, l reached up the other,
intending to change hands. Ilet go too soon
and missed my hold, and the next moment
| found myself plunging headforemost INTO
the English Channel, fifteen miles from
| land
| Instantly | knew | must plunge deep
| down under the water and swim from the
ship to save myself from being drawn into
the wheel by the suction. | came to the
| surface Just astern of the ship and facing
her The spray from the propeller was
| driven against my face with such force it
seemed as if it cut the flesh. | turned my
back for a moment, and then the problem
| of life and eternity was before me. threw
myself on my back and floated.
II saw the great cloud of black smoke roll
out from the ships funnel and fall over the
water knew no one had seen me fall
| I,a{A hot
| all those so near, either one of whom would
have rescued me even at the peril of his
1 own life, We're unconsuiouSly leaving me.
[ was not missed on the ship till midnight,
two hours after [ had fallen overheard.
The ship was searched-engine, boiler, and
fire rooms-in the expectation of finding
me disabled. At last my cup and plate We're
found on the ships rail. To those on board
the problem was soved--waS unanimously
voted that had dropped asleep and fallen
overheard while sitting on the rail. All
! thought it too late to put the ship about and
look for me, and she was kept on her course
to Liverpool.
II was clad in quite heavy wool jacket,
| canvas pants, and heavy English walking
shoes, that laced high around my ankle.
My first effort was to free myself of the
great weight of clothing l attempted to
get out of my jacket; after making the most
superhuman efforts had to give it up. |
| could not extricate my arms from the sleeves
without drowning myself. Again tried to
get rid of it by throwing myself on my
| back and floating, at the same time trying
| to pick the seam open that held the sleeve.
l had to give this up. l then tried to get
my shoe off, but could not do SO. Every
| effort made ] would sink, and then all my
| strength had to be used in keeping my head
above water. To add to my misery a most
excruciating pain seized me in the back OF
my head at the base of my brain. This was
| terrible. | had now been in the water a little
over an hour, and was in full possession of
every faculty. My whole life passed before
me like a panorama. Scenes of my childhood
| that had faded from memory were again as
| fresh as in the days of youth. Calmly and
quietly resigned myself to my fate. Not
even ray Of hope entered my mind.
II had just finished what supposed was
my last prayer to the great Jehovah, in
| whose presence l soon expected to be, and
asked of Him q special blessing on my wife
and children, when to my great surprise, as
| if it were from out the great deep, saw
red light some distance from and coming
| toward me. As it drew quite near | raised
myself up in the water and cried for aSsis-
lance. My second or third hail was answered
and the ship put about | heard the watch
on deck calling up the watch below. 1 had
now been in the water fully an hour and
half. The pupils of my eyes had become SO
| much dilated that everything was greatly
magnified. The ship loked to me as large as
a mountain. 1t seemed as if they would
never get the small boat into the water, |
was nearly exhausted and could not have
| lasted many minutes more. AS | saw the
boat coming really supposed it a ship, it
looked so large. The next moment it shot
up to me and l found myself seized by
strong willing arms and pulled into the
boat My rescuer proved to be a noble
| Danish sailor, the master Of little coasting
schooner. Every attention was shown me-
My rags were exchanged for the Captains
best. | could retain neither food nor spirits
| for some time, on account of having
swallowed so much sea water Ny benefac-
tor could not speak English, nor l Danish,
and it was hard to make him understand
! how l came to be in the middle of the English
Channel swimming for my life was in a
sad plight Ny clothes were in tatters, the
knees of my pantaloons We're split open, and
my engine-room suit not very genteel at the
best. | found the schooner bound for
Little Hampton, England, only a short sail
from where l was picked up. / was delight
ed at this, knowing could reach home by
rail before Abe ship Kingdom reached
I ,e,&